President Carter named in $5 million lawsuit over his "Palestine" book

By
Stephen Lowman

More than four years after its publication, five disgruntled readers have filed a class-action lawsuit against President Jimmy Carter and his publisher, Simon & Schuster, alleging that his 2006 book “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid” contained “numerous false and knowingly misleading statements intended to promote the author's agenda of anti-Israel propaganda and to deceive the reading public instead of presenting accurate information as advertised.”

The five plaintiffs named in the lawsuit are seeking at least $5 million in compensation. The hard cover edition cost $27.

The suit accuses Carter and his publisher of violating New York consumer protection laws because they engaged in “deceptive acts in the course of conducting business” and alleges that they sought enrichment by promoting the book “as a work of non-fiction.”

In a press release, one of the attorneys, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner stated: "The lawsuit will expose all the falsehoods and misrepresentations in Carter's book and prove that his hatred of Israel has led him to commit this fraud on the public. He is entitled to his opinions but deceptions and lies have no place in works of history."

Adam Rothberg, a spokesman for Simon & Schuster, said in a statement sent to The Washington Post: “This lawsuit is frivolous, without merit, and is a transparent attempt by the plaintiffs, despite their contentions, to punish the author, a Nobel Peace prize winner and world-renowned statesmen, and his publisher, for writing and publishing a book with which the plaintiffs simply disagree. It is a chilling attack on free speech that we intend to defend vigorously.”

Requests for comment from Carter’s spokeswoman were not immediately returned.

“Palestine Peace Not Apartheid is being marketed as a work of history, but an honest book would, when assessing the reasons why the conflict festers, blame not only the settlements but also take substantial note of the fact that the Arabs who surround Israel have launched numerous wars against it, all meant to snuff it out of existence.”

The suit, Unterberg et al v. Jimmy Carter et al, was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Its attorneys say this is first time a president and publisher have been sued for violating consumer protection laws.

Hmm, this supposedly neutral article contains numerous indicators of the authors' opinion that this is a frivolous lawsuit: "More than four years after its publication," five "disgruntled" readers, the plaintiffs seek $5 million while the cost of the book was $27 . . .

I'm not sure this is an attempt to deny free speech. After all, the book was published and sold well. No one tried to interfere with its publication. However, if the book does indeed contain intentional falsehoods presented as fact (and I have no idea if it does) and the defendants can prove damages, why shouldn't they have their day in court? Preventing them from doing so is in itself a violation of their rights.

This ridiculous lawsuit Confirms that Jews cannot accept ANY criticism - whether or not it is true.
Also - only an idiot can fail to recognize that Israel's treatment of Palestinians isn't Apartheid! Geeze!

This is an egregious attempt to use the Amican legal system to stifle free speech and squelch the hasbara Here's hoping the judge in the case sanctions these Israel-first litigants for legal fees and treble damages under the NYS frivolous litigation laws. They should write their own book if they want to promote their Israeli view, not squander US taxpayer-funded judicial resources.

Is this an incident that once fostered the epithet "Schuster" to certain ethnic attorneys "not" of law. Jeffrey Goldberg wrote in his review for The Washington Post, which clearly indicates he is not impartial, that Israel was surrounded by hostile Palestinians who was opposed to being flooded by Jews from Europe who encroached upon the Palestinian land like locust.
The same happens in USA today were the Spanish speaking minority shortly will be in majority, but have never treated the white skinned people or Jewish populace with disdain or terror.

Although I haven't read the book, mainly because I think Carter is a bumbling fool who has airports built so that he can land close to home, it wouldn't surprise me if his book is completely false. The man hates Israel.

Having actually read the book, it is my opinion that it speaks to a specific period during which Israel was indeed the main barrier to peace.

The shoe has also been on the other foot, notably in 1999, when Arafat squandered President Clinton's efforts at peace.

It's obnoxious that President Carter, who brokered the most significant MidEast peace of the last 50 years, has come under attack for saying what prevented the spread of that peace during a specific time.

Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu should be named as codefendants then for publicly representing themselves as experts on apartheid who believe that Carter's book speaks the truth about Israel's policies towards Palestinians.

Check out the complaint. The plaintiffs allege injury to have arisen as a result of purchasing a book containing falsehoods.

Don't you hope this prevails? The precedent: purchasers of books can sue for damages for false statements written in books. Do you have any idea how much money could be made from diet books alone? We are talking hundreds of billions of dollars.

With all of the revisionist "history" going on now, why would one pick out former President Carter's book for a lawsuit? Clearly his research and experiences in that region of the world provide the background tht he needs. It should be clear from the outset that Carter will obviously have opinions that differ from those of his political adversaries. If this suit is won by the plaintifs, I look forward to full-scale lawsuits as a result of political campaigns where way too much false information is knowingly lodged against the American public.

What a joke! The lawsuit was probably funded by AIPAC. Israel doesn't quite understand that actions like this are only going to delegitimize it further. Israel needs to rein in it's religious fanatics, stop settlement building and make peace with the Palestinians or it is doomed. No matter what happens in Egypt the next regime will not be pandering to Israel and will be supporting the Palestinians. Time is not on Israel's side.

Jews...what else is new, and who did not see this law suit comming boy do these vile people hate the truth about themselves. I did not even look up the names of those who have brought the law suit or the law firm, it is a given...just read the names and names of the Wall Street financials who were involved in the Subprime Mortgages Scam, who were bailed out, the old Savings and Loan scam and thefts, Milkens junk bond looting and destruction of old line community based businesses, Madoff, the deliberate attack on our Navy's USS Liberty and murder and maiming of our sailors which there was no military retaliation- The Naval commander was stopped from attacking Israel which was about to do, the Pay-day loan sharking industry, the pornography industry, the putting into office, bribing and control of career politcians ... this community, the Wall Street vermin, filth and traitors who have looted and scammed the economy in time of war and national distress, the insider trading and deals, what they have dome is not just large scale theft, criminality and malfeasance but treason because we are at war and in national distress...citizens, the list is endless. We need more media, citizen and government attention to these people...am I being anti-Semitic or just telling the damn truth as everyone knows...

I am not a Jimmy Carter fan and I dislike intensely his politics, but this lawsuit cannot be allowed to proceed. The plaintiffs and their attorneys are obviously twisting the law and the judicial system to attempt to punish a political opponent.

I hope that the judge assigned to this case recognizes the danger to free expression this suit represents and throws it out immediately.

123Njord Jews...what else is new, and who did not see this law suit comming boy do these vile people hate the truth about themselves......

123Njord Let's all hope that this Jewish law suit is not brought before New York court or before a Jewish judge.

123Njord...am I being anti-Semitic or just telling the damn truth as everyone knows...

Fret Not 123Njord you're "just telling the damn truth" that every ignorant anti-Semite knows.After you crawl back under your rock try not to play with matches or sharp objects!

The Lawsuit appears to me to be Frivolous like ex-president Carter a "bitter sanctimonious and deluded old man" who has a history of questionable "one sided" criticism of Israel as well as "post mortem" grudges against those he felt "slighted" by whether it be Menachem Begin, Ted Kennedy and also so I hear, the "vicious bunny rabbit" that attacked him in his rowboat.

I find it interesting that the chronological perspective that President Carter has chosen to write about is so deeply disagreed with by those who would call him an anti-semite. They apparently only have a long memory when it suits them. I see no mention of the duplicity of Israel's behavior following the Oslo accords. You can find plenty of right wing Israeli writers who would defend the behavior, but the bottom line is Israel lied, turned it's back on their signed agreements and generally had an antagonistic approach to Palestinians (as it seems to now, as well). See, the problem the right wing of Israel runs up against time and time again, is that pretty much the rest of the world sees their behavior for what it is. They've effectively put the Palestinians in ghettoes, destroyed their homes, and continually gone back on their promises. While the right wing is hardly all of Israel, it is the ruling government right now, and it is that government's behavior that people have a problem with. Assertions that "you must be an anti-semite" if you don't agree, or even condemn the right wings behavior is seen for what it is. It is the same as a conservative calling a progressive a communist, un-american, socialist nazi. Which makes as little sense to thinking people as being called an anti-semite for disagreeing with Israeli policies and actions.
Let's face it. Wrong has been done by both sides. But the actions of Israel's right wing government over the past years has lost them many friends.

A Noble Peace Prize winner and world statesman is not above the truth. Carter has always been a Progressive Propagandist. Remember, Noble does not equate to noble and I, for one, find these Noble? Peace Prize winners an elite group of scalawags and blighters.

It's interesting the Simon and Schuster toot the "nobel peace prize winner" shtic. Carter has never been about peace. He's always been about Carter, and like most democrats, he can't shut his mouth and stop heaping hate on his opponents.
Now consider the value of the designation "nobel peace prize" winner. Obama was in office for 10 days when he was so designated. I wonder if I can go around singing "butterfly kisses" and get the award. It's so peaceful...

As an ex-South African, Israel is NOT an apartheid state: It is WORSE than apartheid.

As bad as SA apartheid was, it never deprived blacks of food, water or emergency medical care; I should know. I was a doctor who worked in Soweto during apartheid. It never bombed black babies with illegal ammunition like white phosphorus. It never arrested and tortured black children like Israel does to Palestinians. It never burned the orchards of black people out of spite. It never murdered blacks to plunder their body organs for profit. The fact is this case WILL be dismissed because otherwise it will bring even more publicity to all these facts and after the flotilla massacre Israel can hardly afford more anti-Semitism brought on by Jews and Israel's behaviour. As someone suggests, Mandela and Tutu would almost certainly testify and both carry Messianic credibility.

President Carter has always been demonised because of the weight of his testimony about Israeli apartheid, amply verified by Walt and Mearsheimer.. His big sin was daring to get a peace accord between Israel and Egypt, which no other president has ever approached. He never invaded any non-threatening countries nor tortured or assassinated his own citizens with or without trial.He was not a war criminal.

When Israel didn't like the SA Judge Richard Goldstone report it spat on it giving it even more credence in world opinion. Jews always cry they are victimized but instead of crying "anti-Semitism", they should abide by international laws and civilized behaviour.

This lawsuit exemplifies the meaning of the word "chutzpah" and only gives fodder to more anti-Semitism.

I don't know all the specifics; however, I do know that President Jimmy Carter has become a very divisive individual over the past 10 years and he's attempted to rewrite various parts of history. Perhaps he has a form of senile dementia aggravated by republicans. Anyway, opion is opinion; however, attempting to write history based on lies is another thing. If this is true, which should easily be proved, then the lawsuit has merit. As a former democrat, I left the party because of dirty politics. Just because you see something in "print" doesn't make it true. This seems to be the new democratic mantra, "get the lie in books, other print media,on tv show, in the news, repeatedly" and eventually this lie can be presented as truth. Get a grip Carter before you die. History will not treat you well!

"His big sin was daring to get a peace accord between Israel and Egypt"
ScottHollyHenry: You miss my sarcasm. In the context of my report, his actions were perceived as sin. I might add he was also fiscally highly responsible. People always conveniently forget about the positive sides. Look at where we are today. He would NEVER have allowed deregulation of the banking system. He also was and is a true Christian not a fake one like our former dipsomaniac, and truly wanted peace, but failed to realize that Israel did not, never did, and never will want peace. With all those bombs, why should it have peace? Many believe that the Mossad murdered JFK partly because he understood what an imbalance of nuclear power would bring and we all see how right he was. But with maniacs and lunatics like in Zionism (which predated Naziism by the way) who needs peace? (that's sarcasm ScottHH).

With this lawsuit, the litigants will only make fools of themselves and show the world --justifiably--that Jews think that their money can buy anything. I would say not quite.That's tough cheese.

Wow, this is the prosecuting attorney's website:
http://www.schoenlawfirm.com/
Looks impressive. I wonder why he used his Alabama address for a New York court case instead of his NY address.
This could be interesting.
If he manages to get $1 from Jimmy I'm sure someone else could get billions from a whole list of right-wing liars who also wrote books.

"I salute you, and I pay tribute to you, and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm, and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression."
- Vanessa Redgrave, 1978

More silliness.
That's all these people do is whine and sue. When Americans reach their breaking point (rapidly approaching might I add) they will find that it'll be quite difficult to sue their way to safety from a raging crowd.

After reading the comments on this I sure am glad that I don't read this paper often. What a bunch of haters. Almost every single one of you hate just for the sake of hating. It's to bad that you don't realize that there are many sides to the Arab Israeli conflict. Each has some validity.

President Carter didn't go far enough- it IS Apartheid in Israel Palestine and I write as one who has been there 7 times since 2005.

Eileen Fleming, A Citizen of Conscience for House of Representatives
Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org
Staff Member of Salem-news.com
A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com

Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"

Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" and "BEYOND NUCLEAR: Mordechai Vanunu's FREEDOM of SPEECH Trial and My Life as a Muckraker: 2005-2010"

The neocons at the Washington Post may like it, but it is no longer controversial to refer to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians as "apartheid". The usage is now commonplace in the English-language Israeli press and in the commentary of such noted supporters of Israel as Thomas Friedman.

Jimmy Carter was a mediocre president who jumped on board the peace express after Anwar Sadat visited Israel and spoke at the Knesset in 1977. Prior to that following the '73 Yom Kippur War the Egyptian and Israeli intelligence services had begun secretly co-operating as even then they realized their security concerns were mutual. From the time of that visit the return of the Sinai and the ensuing peace treaty was a 'fait accompli' though
Jimmeh's Vanity got the better of him and in his zeal to make it all about him likely delayed the process. He was and is vain,bitter and vindictive toward anyone
who dared disagreed with him be it be Ted Kennedy or Menachem Begin. That said,he meant is no anti semite and truly believe he would be embarassed at some of the hateful commentary meant on his behalf in this blog. I understand and agree with how you feel about the 'haters' JJtheTraveler but unfortunately any open forum discussion about Israel tends to breed them.

Like Exhibit A,here

mystic9121 "I should know. I was a doctor who worked in Soweto during apartheid."

Israel can hardly afford more anti-Semitism brought on by Jews and Israel's behaviour.

Jews always cry they are victimized but instead of crying "anti-Semitism", they should abide by international laws and civilized behaviour.

Many believe that the Mossad murdered JFK partly because he understood what an imbalance of nuclear power would bring and we all see how right he was. But with maniacs and lunatics like in Zionism (which predated Naziism by the way)

Oh Well, the Nazis had there Dr's too.

That's alright "Dokky" ,bright educated man that you are why focus on Gaza when you can travel there from Soweto through Darfur.I guess that would confuse your disproportionate indignation.

"Body Organs for Profit" "Mossad murdering Kennedy"

....and show the world --justifiably--that Jews think that their money can buy anything. I would say not quite.That's tough cheese.

And you're allowed to hold a scalpel?!?!
"Dokky" stop "cuttin' the cheese"

Honestly, Jimmuh Carter is without question the 2nd worst American president, only bested by Ba'crock Obama. At least Obama has a little intelligence, but Jimmuh is a pathetic idiot of the first order and his book is rubbish. I kept it in the bathroom, using it for toilet paper as I finished each page. I'm planning on suing him for the rash it gave me.

"Don't Take Two Trips to Auschwitz I'm Still Suing you in the Morning''

Apparently the old ''cure '' for the disease of anti-Semitism was to send the offending sufferers to Auschwitz in much the same way that people with incurable diseases are sent to Lourdes. Now it is to sue for millions of dollars, even when the criticism of Jewish behavior is constructive! And for the insistent request for an apology from Jimmy Carter for writing the truth, is anyone keeping track of all the public people who have ''apologized'' to the Jews in recent years? Let's see, there was Brando, Billy Graham, Dolly Parton, Rep. Moran, Andrew Young, General Brown etc. ad nauseum. And while we are at it, can any one come up with the name of a single Jew who, as a Jew, has ever apologized to anyone for anything? --Michael Santomauro

It is incredible how people can be mad at the racist country of Israel for their treatment of the Palestinians and then talk about the Jews suing Carter in the same breath. Anti semites come crawling out of the woodwork to spew their filthy hatred of Jews in so many hidden forms. Yeah, so a few idiots are suing Carter for his piece of garbage book. Yes, they are most likely Jews. But there is a huuuuuge number of anti Israeli apartheid Jews who rally against Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. The majority of American Jewry are left wing liberals. Right wing anti-Semites enjoy demonizing us for it. So we have left wing anti-Semites calling us right wing oppressors while the right wing anti-Semites are calling us liberal Nazis who control the media. In the end, all we are seeing here is pure anti-Semitism. You want to call the five dopes in this case "dopes" go ahead. To claim that all the Jews share their opinion is simply bigoted and racist in their purest form. To those racist pigs who claim all Jews share the opinion of these 5 people, go get yourselves some white sheets and join the KKK. That is your kind of crowd. You jerks should be sent to Guantanamo Bay and given the full spa treatment.

@ReporterNotebook aka Michael Santomauro: There was nothing constructive about his book. Spewing lies like those in his books only distracts us from focusing on the issues that need to be resolved. Not only didn't it help our cause, it hurt it. But you, at bigoted racist wouldn't know what a constructive comment is anyway. Being a Klan member I am sure you didn't read his book.

As a Jew and a lawyer, I'm doubly embarrassed by this lawsuit. To quote Justice Brandeis: "Those who won our independence believed that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.... that it is hazardous to discourage thought, hope and imagination; ... that the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies.... Believing in the power of reason as applied through public discussion, they eschewed silence coerced by law - the argument of force in its worst form."

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